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Self-Healing Circuit Boards Offer New Path to Reducing Global E-Waste
- Two Virginia Tech teams led by Professors Bartlett and Worch developed self-healing, recyclable circuit boards in 2024 to address rising e-waste.
- This innovation addresses findings from a 2024 UN report indicating that global electronic waste has nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from 34 billion kilograms in 2010 to 62 billion kilograms in 2022, while recycling rates remain insufficient.
- Their material combines vitrimer polymer with liquid metal circuits that remain conductive, heal damage with heat, and can be broken down for component recovery.
- Worch explained that conventional circuit boards use durable thermoset materials that are nearly impossible to recycle, whereas their innovative composite can be repaired with heat without compromising its electrical functionality.
- This advance suggests sustainable electronics could reduce landfill waste, save resources, and prompt needed action from manufacturers, regulators, and consumers.
14 Articles
14 Articles
E-waste is one of the environmental problems that is growing on a global scale, driven by accelerated consumption of technology and by the short life of devices. With only 20% of these wastes to be...
These self-healing circuit boards could help solve the world’s e-waste crisis
Every year, the pile of discarded electronics—known as e-waste—keeps growing. From broken phones and outdated laptops to worn-out appliances, our digital lives are producing a massive amount of trash. A 2024 United Nations report shows that global e-waste has nearly doubled in just 12 years, reaching 62 billion kilograms—enough to fill over 1.5 million shipping […] The post These self-healing circuit boards could help solve the world’s e-waste c…
Where does electronic waste end up? It contains rare metals and minerals that are in short supply in the world. But only a handful of them are recycled. Most e-waste fills landfills around the world and ends up in the hands of unauthorized workers in various parts of the world. This is especially true in Southeast Asian countries.
Earth Today | What if a used smartphone could become part of a brand-new device?
EVERY YEAR, around 200 tonnes of discarded battery material are collected from electronics manufacturing facilities in Vietnam. In countries with advanced recycling infrastructure, much of this waste could be reused – powering everything from...
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